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0. H. ENSIGN.

CARBURETER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23,1915. l 1,316,149. Ptentedsept. 16,1919.

l l /5 F11/gi UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

@Hmm H. ENSIGN, F PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.,

AssIGNon To ENSIGN oAnBUREToB C0., OF LOS4 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

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Speeicatiou of Letters Patent. Patentd Sapin 16, 1919..

Application nled September 23, 1915. Serial No. 52,307.

incitar and 1,064,628, aand aan@ 1o, rela,

and in my applica-tion for lietterseT'atent of the United States Serial No. 732,746, tiled hlov. 2l, 1912, and also in Letters-Patent of the United States hlumber 1,108,727 granted to me flug. 25, 1915, upon assignment of my son, Roy lirancis lEnsign.

This invention is applicable to other types of carbureter.

Tn practical operation with this recently patented type of carbureter, air, by suction of the motor, is drawn through a tangential bil air inlet or horn into a circular vortex chamber having an axial outlet, through which the air passes after taking on a circular motion due to its inertia and the circular walls of said chamber. The air body within the vortex chamber whirls about the central axis of said chamber before nding exit at said outlet; and because of such whirling motion, the body has a gradient of pressure diminishing from the periphery inward, becoming denser toward the circular confining walls and rarer toward the center of the chamber; and the diderence between the high peripheral and low axialpressures thus induced vary; increasing when the speed or load of the motor increases and decreasing when such' speed or load decreases. The liquid fuel is fed to the center of the vortex and is drawn in by this lowered pressure.

Tt is a well-known fact that internal combustion motors are required to run at various speeds and also that greatest economy and efficiency can only be secured by supplying the engine with correct mixture of liquid fuel and air.

Tt is also a well-known fact that an engine will require a richer mixture, that is to say a greater proportion of liquid fuel to the amount of air used when running under throttled lowspeed, than when running at full power at high speed. The reason for working smoothly. llt

this is that at throttled low speed running, the full charge of air is not drawn in and hence the compression is low in the cylinders; while at full power with wide-open throttle, full charges are drawn in and hence full compression of the mixture is obtained; and a more intimate association is effected between the molecules of the fuel and molecules of oxygen. Tt is therefore necessary at extreme low speeds to have a richer mixture, .so-called, in order to keep the engine has been found that under the lighter pressure, intimate association of the molecules can only be attained by excess of fuel.

Tn this particular type of carbureter a vortex is used as a means of creating a mixture, and the mixture produced by this type of carbureter when adjusted to a definite proportion at any speed remains very nearly constant at all speeds; but there is a slight tendency to a richer mixture at lower than at' higher speeds and this is exaggerated in said carbureter when applied to some motors;

The reason that the mixture is slightly richer at the lower than at the higher speeds is as follows: The body of air within the vortex mixing chamber revolves freely under the impelling force of the velocity of the air entering the air horn. The velocity of this entering air is directly proportional to the volume of air passing through the carbureter. Were there no friction on the inner walls of the mixing chamber the suction at the center of the mixing chamber would be such as to produce an absolutely constant proportion of liquid fuel and air at all speeds; but the centrifugal action causes the air body to press upon the internal surface of the walls of the mixing chamber more strongly at the higher speeds. This causes a braking ed'ect on the whirling air body that increases as the speed increases, thus reducing the revolutions of the air body in the chamber, proportional to the mass of air passing through the carbureter. This braking ed'ect lowers the vortex suction on the liquid fuel feed orifice and hence produces a slightly weaker mixture at the higher speeds and power than is produced at the lower speeds and power. Thus it is seen that although the natural mixture produced by this vortex carbureter conforms closely to the natural demands of the internal combus tion motor, a difficulty arises in fulfilling conditions imposed by the extreme low-speed idling of the motor that is so desirable in automobile practice, and an object of this invention is to avoid this diiiculty.

It is-also desirable to be able to adjust both idling and power mixtures to suit the different types of motors.

An increase of throttle opening with an internal combustion motor results in a corresponding increase of compression so that such motor can, at each increase, take and utilize to the best advantage a weaker mixture than the previous one. The maximum compression can make the best use of the weakest possible mixture consistent wlth perfect combustion.

It lis therefore desirable that means be provided whereby the mixture with throttle closed will be of maximum richness in fuel and as the throttle opens the mixture will diminish in such richness and will be weakest when the throttle is wide open.

There are great variations in motor designs, and different motors have different proportions of bore and stroke, valve area, valve lift and valve timing. Consequently as the air flows through the carbureter in a series of waves or impulses of velocity produced by the suction of individual cylinders, the shape of the waves of impulses differ greatly with different designs of motors. This exaggerates the need in some motors, for a richer mixture at low speeds and a weaker mixture at high speed, notwithstanding the fact that there are many designs of motors that will take the natural mixture produced by said carbureter.

To be able to meet the conditions imposed by the demands in many motors for the extremely rich mixture at low speeds I have invented' two devices operating together in some instances, and separately in others; one consisting of a specially constructed butteriy damper pivotally hung in a circular air intake and hereinafter described.

The automatic regulation of the mixturev best results, that some means be provided to further regulate the working mixture to suit different motors. I have accomplished this by controlling the orifice supplying fuel to themixing chamber, and this is done by means of a sleeve which may be screwed over the fuel orifice that is always drilled too large for the best mixture and thus to adjust the opening to supply the requisite amount of fuel to give the best idling mixture in combination with the action of the butterfly valve above described. Having now obtained the best idling mixture for the given motor, there may still be required another adjustment for maximumI power and speed, and for this purpose a small air valve is provided which is weighted to open at an average speed found necessary in practice by the suction of the vortex on different types of motors as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The invention can be carried out in various ways and comprises a carbureter provided with certain effective means to maximize the richness in fuel when the throttle is closed and also ycomprises a carbureter provided with certain effective automatic means to diminish the richness in fuel as the throttle is opened. Other features and combinations of the invention will more fully appear in the subjoined detail description.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention as applied in approved form in a vortex type of carbureter and any internal com'bustion motor.

Figure 1 is an axial elevation of fueladjusting means constructed in accordance with this invention. Parts are broken away to expose features of construction otherwise hidden. Lines m1-zv1, Figs. 3 and 4 indicate the plane of section. The parts are shown in solid lines in slow idling position. Dotted lines indicate the position at which the butterly will hang when only subject to the forcel of its own gravity. I The heavy dotted arrows indicate the direction of the pressures during operation, and the suctioncontrolled valve is shown raised in dotted lines. Only a fragment of the engine is shown as the construction and operation of the same in many typesand forms are well known to those skilled in the art. Fig 2 is a plan section on line m2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan section in reduced Scale on irregular line ,m3, Fig. l. Line rc3, Fig. 4 also indicates the plane of section.

A Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line m4, Fig. 3, the reduced throat being indicated in part by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the suction regulating valve as under high speed, full power stroke.

Fig. 6 is an axial section of the suction tube at right angles to Fig. 1. l Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmental sectional detail illustrating the means for regulating the size of the fuel orifice.

1 is the vortex chamber having a central mixture outlet 2 at one end and a central liquid fuel inlet 3 at the other end. The

. suction pipe or bottom L4 applies the engine suction at the mixture outlet 2 to suck air through said vortex chamber. Said bottom L4 being connected to and made effective by the engine, a fragment of the manifold 5 of which is shown, is controlled by a throttle 6; said engine and throttle being of any well known construction. The vortex chamber is provided with an air inlet horn 7 having a cylindrical intake bore 8 and a reduced throat 9 leading from the infill israele talre nicuth or bore 8 and opening taugenthat is mounted to revolve freely on said support l0 in said bore 8; the lower vane 11 of said butterfly valve practically conforming in contour to the lower yare of said bore 8 and to the throat 9 when swung adjacent thereto; and the upper vane 12 of said but terfly valve being practically equal in area to about three-fourths, more or less of the area of the lower vane l1 so that under a low suction at said mixture outlet, an increase or a decrease of the vertical depression will cause an adjustment of the angle of the.butterdy with the bore and throat and a corresponding increase or decrease in the size of the inlet opening 13 above the axis of the support.

A suction chamber 1A is provided communicating through the central inlet 3 with the center of the vortex chamber and a suction reducing air lift valve 15 operable by the depression at the inlet 3 is provided to admit air to the suction chamber 1A to lower the suction in chamber 14, thus to limit the liquid fuel flow to an amount' determined by experiment for a particular motor.

'l`he sequence of events in the operation of the butterfly and the air lift valve 15' varies with diderent motors. At the slow idling speed of an automobile motor the butterfly 11, 12 will take about the angle shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As the motor is speeded up at some speed -not very much greater than the idling speed the buttery will take the horizontal position shown 1n dot-and-dash rlines in said Fig. l, usually between seven and ten miles an hour on the direct drive gear in most cars., ln present practice with this invention, the butterfly valve is preferably made to reach the horizontal position when a suction pressure of four inches of water at the center of the vortex mixing chamber is reached, and to stand there until the pressure falls below that point. 'lhis adjustment is determined at the factory.

'lhe valve 15 in some cases may lift before the buttery has taken the horizontal position and in some cases after it has taken such position; and in many cases when m0- tors are new and there is no leakage about the valve stems it may be adjusted so that it does not .lift at all. rlhis is especially so with multi-cylinder motors, that is, six cylinders, eight cylinders or more, which are of such a character as to produce a steady flow. The weight of the valve is the same for all carbureters of the same size inde endent of the type of motor to which it 1s applied, but the length of lift is made adjustable to suit different motors. This is done by means hereinafter described.

The inward taper of the upper surface of throat 9, begins at such polnt as that the opening underneath the lower limb 11 does not increase so rapidly as the opening above the upper limb 12, and therefore the pressure of the inowing air is more effective j to open the valve than would be the case if the throat were not contracted.

Constant level fueLsupplying means are provided for supplying liquid fuel to the suction chamber 14 through *he fuel orifice 14:. in the walls thereof. Said means comprise a constant level chamber 16 and Boat 17 in said chamber connected to a lever 18 .pivotally mounted on a pivot 19 extending through the fuel passage 20 in which a fuel port formed by a valve seat 21 admits liquid from a fuel liquid strainer chamber 22- connected by pipe 22 to a reservoir or tank not shown; said doat and the lever 18 acting upon the loose washer 23 to close the valve 2l when the doat rises and acting through the loose washer 24:, the spring 25 and collar 26 on valve stem 27 to open the valve when the float 17 falls, said fuel orifice 14: constituting restricted means to admit liquid fuel to the suction chamber 1A. A suction tube 28 communicating between the suction chamber 14 slightly above the liquid level 29 therein and With the central liquid fuel inlet 3 of the vortex chamber, constitutes means for -applying suction from the center of the vortex in the vvortex chamber to the suction chamber, and aHords means to variably discharge liquid fuel from the suction chamber under the various degrees of vacuum liquid fuel admitting means or orifice 14.

Such regulable means as shown consists in a collar 30 threaded upon the wall of the suction chamber 14: and adjustable across the restricted fuel orifice 14: by screwing the collar up and down on the chamber. The suction tube 28 is adjustable as to height by means of a screw-driver in kerf a to suit the pressure on the fuel formed in diereut installations. The tickler 32 may be operated by a connection 33 and spring 311 to force the float 17 down and to release it in the usual manner for causing an eXtra flow of liquid fuel for the purpose of enriching the mixture at starting.

'lhe suction reducing means are connected with the suction chamber 14 opposite to the suction tube 2,8 and comprise, a valve head 35 screwed on the top of the suction cham* ber 1A and provided with inlet ports 36 leading to a passage 37 closed by the valve l5 that has a stem 39 working in an axial valve stemway 40 in an adjusting screw 41 that is screwed down into a cap 42 screwed onto the valve head.

Said valve head has a valve chamber 43 from which passages 44 open into the suction chamber 14. The valve 15 Seats by gravity upon the valve seat 38 formed at the top 0f the valve passage 37, and whenever the suction at the vortical center reaches a predetermined value or degree, the atmospheric pressure on the under face of the valve 15 lifts said valve and allows atmospheric air to flow into the suction chamber 14 so that from that time on the discharge of liquid fuel through the suction tube 28 is proportionately lessened at the high speeds of the motor.

In constructing the apparatus the suction pipe may have a connection 45, which carries the throttle 6; said pipe connecting the manifold of said engine and the vortex chamber 1. Said vortex chamber with its air horn are cast in a single piece to fit on the elevated rim 46 of said bottom L4; the interior of which tapers downwardly at its intake from the downwardly tapering vortex chamber. Said vortex chamber terminates in a trough 47 surrounding` an annular upwardly projecting edge 48 that forms the margin of the mixture outlet 2. A drain port 49 leading from said trough 47, discharges into the suction pipe 4 between said orifice 2 and the outlet from said pipe 4, the drainage of liquid fuel accumulated from the vortex chamber walls. Said drainage falls into the current of air flowing from said orifice 2 to the engine.

The usual bolt 50 shown in some of said former patents extends up through the suction pipe 4, and the outlet 2 into the chamber 1; andthe conical deflector 51 is provided with a fuel connection 52 forming the central inlet 3. and is mounted on said bolt 50; said connection 52 having an upwardly extending externally and internally threaded bushing 53into the top of which the suction tube 28 is radjustably screwed. Upon this bushing 53 is screwed the constant level fuel chamber 16 which is provided with an annular groove 54 to fit upon the upper rim .of the vortex chamber 1; and the suction chamber 14 is screwed down upon the bushing and against chamber 16 to hold chamber 16 firmly in place.

The cover 55 for the constant level liquid fuel chamber 16 is provided with a hollow depression 56 having a central opening 57 that fits the smooth cylindrical exterior of the suction chamber 14; the inner walls of the depression 56 fitting over the lower portion of the valve head 35 which is internally threaded and is screwed upon the threaded top of the suction chamber 14, thus firmly imams fixing the cover 55 in place. fThe bolt 50 is preferably threaded at both ends and provided with nuts 57, 58 adjustabl;J thereon to exactly position the parts assembled.

In practical operation at low speeds the butterfly valve serves to choke the air inlet so as to add to the vertical suction at the inlet 3 during the extremely low vertical pressures due to the low speed, so that the mixture at the low speeds is proportionately richer as required for the reasons set forth in the brief statement of the invention at the beginning of this specification. This choking and consequent enriching of the mixture continues until the butterfly valve is swung to the horizontal position.

When the adjusting screw 41 is set it is held by the spring 58 from being unscrewed by vibrational action.

The resistance roduced by the butterfly under idling conditions amounts to about one-fourth of an inch of water pressure, while the natural suction pressure placed upon the fuel by the natural action of the vortex mixing chamber gives about threefourths of an inch. It will be noticed that this adds suction pressure to the liquid fuel of about thirty per cent., which is found in practice sufficient for all needs. Upon attaining a higher speed the butterfly comes wide open and remains in a horizontal position, floating on the air similar to the wings of an aeroplane. As the butterfly is moved from the idling to the horizontal position the resistance it offers becomes less and less; actual measurements showin it to be not more than one-eight of an inch of water pressure when the suction pressure at the center of the vortex is twenty inches of water pressure.

In other words, at the idling speeds the butterfly serves as automatic means to add materially to the normal vortex `suction and at any other speeds than the idling speeds the added suction produced by the butterfly is negligible.

A delicately unbalanced butterfly valve swinging freely in the circular air inlet to the vortex chamber is necessary for erfect working in order to adjustably cho (e the air inlet to afford requisite fine variations of vortex suction at the fuel inlet 3 from the closed throttle position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 when only a very small amount of air is drawn through the vortex chamber at each impulse of the engine, on up to the osition of throttle where the butterfly is ully opened to horizontal position.

Attention is directed to the arrangement of the suction regulating valve relative to the mixing chamber; the same being so arranged that as the suction is increased at the center of the vortex the fuel supply is diminished, and at the same time the fuel lll Sil

creases, the most intimate admixture of fuel with the air is effected; so that upon compression in the combustion chamber of the engine,- the mixture is in superior condition for complete combustion.

claim:

` 1. A carbureter providedv with a downwardly diminishing mixing chamber having a lateral air inlet and an annular mixture outlet opening downwardly therefrom, a suction chamber through which the fuel passes to the upper portion of the mixing chamber, and automatic means to admit air to the suction chamber when the suction at the mixing chamber is great, to reduce the suction in said suction chamber and thereby reduce the flow'of liquid fuel.

2. A carbureter of the vortex type provided with a downwardly discharging mixing chamber and a suction chamber thereabove through which the fuel passes to the vortex mixin chamber, and automatic means to admit air to the suction chamber to reduce the suction in said suction chamber and thereby reduce the dow of liquid fuel when the vortical action is violent.

3. 1n a carbureter'of the vortex type a suction chamber through which liquid fuel is supplied to the vortex mixing chamber; means to maximize the richness in fuel when the vortical action is low and automatic means to admit air to the suction chamber to diminish the richness in fuel as the vortical action is increased.

l. ln a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a chamber maintaining fuel at a constant level, a vortex chamber, a suction chamber within the constant level chamber, means for applying suction from the center of the vortex to the suction chamber, means consisting of a valve seated by gravity adapted to be lifted by the suction of the chamber for weakening the suction in the suction chamber, and an adjusting screw for controlling the amount of lift of said valve; the air admitted through said valve reducing the suction in the chamber, and hence, reducing the proportionate amount of fuel admitted to the chamber.

5. ln a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a chamber maintaining fuel at a constant level, a vortex chamber, a suction chamber within the constant level chamber,

lill

lib

means for applying suction from the center of the vortex to the suction chamber, means for supplying fuel through a restricted orihce to the suction chamber, means consisting of a sleeve over the outside of the suction chamber arranged to adjustably cut ed ortions of the orifice, an air valve seated y gravity lifted by the suction in the suction chamber when the suction reaches a de termined de ee, and an adjusting screw to control the lift of said valve.

6. lIn a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a chamber maintaining fuel at a constant level, a vortex chamber, a suction chamber within the constant level chamber, means for applying suction from the center of the vortex to the suction chamber; means for admitting fuel through a restricted orifice to the suction chamber, an

unbalanced butterfly valve supported on a shaft extending through cular air inlet to the ber, a sleeve forcuttin orifice for adjusting t e area of the fuel orifice, an air valve lifted by suction when the suction in the suction chamber reaches a predetermined degree, and an adjusting sciew to control the amount of lift of said va ve.

the axis of the cirvortex mixing chamof a portion of the 7. In a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a chamber maintaining fuel at a constant level means consisting of a tube adapted to be raised and lowered to maintain its upper end just above the fuel level in the constant level chamber; means for applying suction from the center of the vortex chamber; means for admitting fuel through a restricted orifice to the suction chamber; means for admitting air to the suction chamber after the suction has reached a determined degree; means for adjusting the amount of air thus admitted; and means for passing liquid fuel from the suction chamber to 'the vortex chamber.

8. ln a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a chamber maintaining fuel at a constant level; a suction chamber within the fuel chamber; a vortex mixing chamber; means 'for applying suction from the center of the vortex to the suction chamber, within the constant level chamber; means for admitting fuel through a restricted orilice to the suction chamber; automatic means for admitting air to the suction chamber after the suction has reached a determined degree; means for adjusting said automatic means to determine the amount of air thus admitted; and means for passing liquid fuel from the suction chamber to the vortex chamber.

9. ln combination, a mixing chamber having' a central outlet at one end; means to cause suction atsuch outlet; an air inlet opening tangentially into said chamber at" a vortex mixing chamber; i

- posite the central outlet; and a valve operable by high suction to admit air to relieve the suction in the mixing chamber.

10. In combination a vortex chamber having a central mixture outlet at one end and a central liquid fuel inlet at the other end; means to cause suction at such outlet and thereby to induce suction at the fuel inlet; an air inlet horn having@ cylindrical intake Y bore andl a reducedthroatileading from the intake boreY and-"opening tangentially into said chamberat one side thereof; a pivotal support extending through said bore and intersecting the axis of said bore at right angles; a thin butterfly valve mounted to revolve freely on said support in said bore, the lower vane of said butterfly valve practically conforming in contourto the lower arc of said bore and throat; the upper vane 0f said butterfly valve being practically equal in area to about three-fourths the area of the lower vane so Ithat under a low suction at said mixture outlet, increase and decrease of the suction pressure will cause an adjustment of the angle ofthe butterfly with the bore and a corresponding increase and decrease in the size of the inlet orifice above the axis of the support by giving a greater or less inclination to the butterfly valve, thereby enlarging or diminishing the inlet orifice; -a suction chamber communicating with the central inlet to the vortex chamber; a'suction-reducing valve operable by suction applied at the center of the vortex to admit air to the suction chamber to relieve suction in the suction chamber at a time after the butterfly is fully opened by suction at the center of the vortex; constant level means to maintain a supply of liquid fuel for the suction chamber; restricted means to admit liquid fuel from the constant supply means to the suction chamber; means to variably discharge liquid fuel from the suction chamber under various suction pressures and regulable means to adjust the restricted liquid fuel admitting means. 11. I n a carbureter, means for enriching fuel mixture of internal combustion motors at extreme low idling speeds, comprising in combination, a carbureter mixing chamber, an inlet horn forming a circular air inlet and having a horizontal axis, an outlet for said mixing chamber, means whereby air is drawn through said inlet and mixing chamber by the action of the motor; a slightly unbalanced thin butterfly valve mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis that intersects the axis of said air inlet; the rim of the lower half of the butterfly valve practically closing the lower half of the horizontal air inlet when the valve is vertical; the upper half of said valve being of reduced area as compared with the area of the lower half of the valve so that the passage below the axis is closed and there isan open air passage above said horizontal axis of the valve between its upper edge and the walls of the air inlet when the valve is vertical.

12. In a carbureter, fuel-adjusting means comprising a constant level fuel chamber, a suction chamber communicating with the constant level fuel chamber, a vortex chamber, means for applying suction from the vortex chamber to the )suction chamber, valve means adapted to be lifted by the suction of the suction chamber and thus reducing the suction in said chamber and hence the proportionate amount of fuel admitted to the chamber, and adjusting means for controlling the amount of the lift of said valve.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 18th day of September, 1915.

ORVILLE H. ENSIGN.

Witness:

J AMES R. TowNsEND.

lt is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 11,316,149, granted September 16,

*1919, upon the application of Orirille H. Ensign, of Pasadena., California, for en improvement in Carbureters, an error appears in the printed speeioetion requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 72 andline 73, for'the Word vertical read vortical; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Oice.

signed and Sealed this 14th day of october, A. D., 191e..

[SEAL] M. H. ooULSToN.

Acting Uomm'isse'oner ofPatemfs. @L 261-79. 

